Bike-sharing program on WOU campus in Monmouth a win for all

The Monmouth Bicycle Pedestrian Friendly Community Committee, designated by the Monmouth City Council and which includes myself, Michael Blakely,Patrick Aldrich, Carol McKiel, and Susan Myers, congratulate Western Oregon University for its launch of a bicycle-sharing program.

It is a major step in making Monmouth a bike-friendly community.

About 100 orange, dockless bikes have been placed around Western’s buildings and streets. They are available for use by anyone who has downloaded the app provided by Spin (search “Spin bike” in your app store), the company that supplies the bikes.

The Spin bikes are intended as a service for rides starting and ending on campus, but users can ride the bike home to their nearby apartment or go to the grocery store before returning the bike to university grounds.

Each bike features a basket big enough to hold two grocery bags. Spin bikes must be left parked at, or within a few feet, of a bike rack on campus by the end of the day.

The Spin bikeshare program was launched just a year ago in cities like Washington, D.C., Miami, and Seattle.

We are delighted that Western Oregon University, the Bicycle Shop Monmouth and Spin have made bike sharing a reality in Monmouth.